GOD OF COOKING – CHAPTER 25: THREE DISHES AND ONE MEAL (4)

 

It wasn’t a proper dish .

Jo Minjoon thought like that . Even if a lot of skill was used in it, it was something that should never have been in a plate . A dish that was filled with the chef’s resentment, even if it’s score was high it wasn’t worth anything .

“We won’t eat this . Go back to your places . ”

Alan said determined . It wasn’t only directed to Kaya, but to the whole team . Anderson was holding the dish with a clear angry face . Kaya bit her lips and went towards her dish .

And then ate her salmon . At that sight, nobody could tell her something and just looked at her . Kaya, after chewing it, gulped it . Then opened her mouth . She seemed calm, but her voice was trembling .

“But it’s delicious . ”

The meaning it held was just that . She took her plate and turned back . The sight of her biting her lips, to Jo Minjoon somehow seemed that she was trying not to shed tears .

However Kaya didn’t have any rights to cry . Jo Minjoon thought . When a chef prioritizes her emotions and pride instead of the customer, you couldn’t describe what was put on the dish with any words .

The basics of course cooking was in the harmony . The appetizer had the role to show up the main dish and to appetize one’s mouth . However, Kaya’s selfishness didn’t simply end at appetizing . Because it was her selfishness that made her cook the salmon tataki . It wasn’t a course cooking dish, but an absolutely individual dish .

But that was not having consideration toward the customer . Even if she knew it or not, it wasn’t something to just let it pass .

The judges started to evaluate the dishes as if nothing had happened . After showing an expressionless face, they went up back to the stage . But the evaluation didn’t start right now . Only after the six teams that couldn’t show off their dishes showed theirs, Alan opened his mouth .

“Chloe . Minjoon . Marco . Come to the front . ”

As the three of them came up, only then did Alan open his mouth . It was an expressionless and hard face as always .

“The flavor was okay . It could be seen that you chose the menu considering that it was a course meal . Scallops after tofu, and then biscuits . It was a menu that didn’t seem to suit each other, but unexpectedly, the flavor left on the mouth was good . ”
“Thank you . ”

Chloe and Minjoon almost simultaneously opened their mouths . And Marco glanced sideways and opened his mouth late . “Tha, thank you . ” Joseph, who was looking at Marco, opened his mouth .

“Perhaps, the one who showed the most potential on this dish was you, Marco . Chefs tend to put something more to their dishes and to make it more splendid . However, your mocha biscuit didn’t have any excessive flavor . It was a flavor that covered the scallop’s and the tofu’s flavor . Also, the biscuit dough was perfect . You put in a deep and refined flavor and aroma in a simple dish . Thank you . ”
“Ah, thank you . ”

Marco replied while sniffing . Jo Minjoon glanced a little and saw that Marco’s eyes were teary . He was a tender child unlike his hog like appearance . Jo Minjoon lifted his hand and patted Marco’s back .

Emily smiled and opened her mouth .

“I also ate it deliciously . Aside from the dishes, I think it was good to see you being nice to each other . I think you showed how a chef has to act when they form a team . ”
“You did well . Go to the 2nd floor! You passed . ”

They should have already expected that they had passed with what they were being told, but as soon as Alan finished what he was saying, Chloe let a happy scream and held Marco and Jo Minjoon . Of course, to wrap Marco’s big body, her arms were not enough . In the end, Marco and Jo Minjoon had to receive her putting their arms around their shoulders while jumping .

Jo Minjoon smiled awkwardly . He knew that it was an attitude to have after passing, but to be this cheerful . As he didn’t jump and was only smiling, Chloe’s face reddened and shook off her apron .

However, that cheerful time didn’t last long . Because next, was Kaya’s evaluation . Alan said coldly . It was a voice that his rage could clearly be felt .

“Personally, I put my expectations too high for this team . And the disappointment is also that big . I think that there’s no meaning to fight over the main’s seat . But well, let’s get over that . Because anyone would want to be the protagonist . But what comes next **** even more . I think that there’s no need for you to ask about it . ”

Nobody replied . Joseph let out a sigh and said .

“A dish contains a chef’s heart . Kaya . Your dish didn’t contain a will towards the customer . Do you agree?”
“……Yes . ”

Kaya replied hesitatingly . She seemed just like a child being lectured by a teacher . Emily opened her mouth . Her attitude was sharp and harsh unlike usual .

“We didn’t test your dishes . Because it’s something we can’t eat . So obviously, you are disqualified . Go back to your place . ”
“……I have an objection . ”

The one who opened his mouth was Anderson . Emily frowned as she looked at him . Anderson continued speaking .

“The one who ruined her cooking was Kaya and it was her lonely action . Why must we be affected because of her?”
“Do you think it’s unfair?”

The one who replied wasn’t Emily, but Alan . Anderson was elevating his tone while speaking, but forcefully repressed that and replied .

“Yes! I do . My mistake is wanting to take the main dish for me, and not knowing that she would act like a **** like that . Is that reason to be disqualified?”
“It is . ”

Alan replied shortly . He stared with his cold eyes . Alan went close to  Anderson’s nose, and spoke with a scary voice that would anytime bite his face .

“Because you are a team . You talking like that right now means that you never considered yourselves to be a team . ”
“… . . But this is a competition! Even if we became teammates, we can’t act as real teams, can we?!”
“No! You can . If you weren’t thinking about competition but instead cooked, you would be considering each other as teammates . A chef isn’t a machine . It doesn’t end just by dividing roles! Don’t think that it ended just by presenting three dishes! The course is only one . It means that those three plates soon become one dish . ”

After saying all that, Alan caught his breath . It was as if Anderson was repressed by Alan’s overwhelming momentum, that he couldn’t speak anything in reply . Alan slowly opened his mouth . It was a voice that got smaller as if he was whispering .

“Of course, I admit that you weren’t lucky . You and Kaya were both outstanding . And your prides were also strong . It was as if there were two protagonists in a movie . But it only means that . If you can’t overcome a situation where you are unlucky means that your ability only extends to that much . After presenting that sucking three course, did you think that only you would be able to get out of it?”

Anderson couldn’t reply . Even when he was first talking to Kaya and making the team, his confidence was overflowing . He did fight for the seat of the main dish, but he wondered if just because of that they would be in this kind of situation .

Was that his mistake? Anderson couldn’t know the answer to that . His mind was yelling that it was not a mistake . He wanted to think that Alan’s words were only that much . But the only thing Anderson could do was to keep his mouth shut . It wasn’t because he was convinced . It was because even if he prolonged the talk, the judges wouldn’t change their minds .

The judging continued . 9 teams . Of those, the teams that survived were only 6 . That meant that of the 3 teams, 9 people were going to be disqualified . Jo Minjoon just looked from the 2nd floor . From the disqualified people that were gathered, Joseph was opening his mouth .

“You are now in front of the door to disqualify . I don’t know how many of you would survive . But what I’m certain of, is that you are here because you presented a mess of a course . Lack of technique? Lack of teamworking skills? Either of which was it, the results would be the same . ”

The disqualified people didn’t reply . Some seemed like they would cry any moment . And some were sniffing . However Joseph didn’t hesitate . A chef put a mess in a plate . That was something that was inconceivable to a chef .

“Before revealing the theme of the mission, you have something to do . You have to select a partner right now . Only then will I reveal the theme . ”

At Joseph’s words, the participants moved from here to there and soon, started to partner up with the people next to them . Some teamed up with their original team, and those two had to awkwardly hold hands . But the disqualified people were 9 in total . So naturally, one had to be left out .

It was Kaya .

Nobody reached their hands to her . Because they had already seen her character in the course cooking . They wouldn’t want to team up with someone that might bring trouble . On top of that, Kaya’s skills weren’t ordinary . If they were to team up with her, their dishes would rather lose light .

Kaya looked at her surroundings looking nervous . And forced herself to sound confident and looked at Joseph .

“I don’t care if I’m alone . ”
“……I’m sorry but that’s impossible . Kaya, you have to choose from one from the passing candidates . Of course, your partner won’t be affected by the results of this mission . ”

At those words, Kaya looked up to the 2nd floor . However, the passing candidates all evaded making eye contact . Even if they weren’t going to get disqualified, they couldn’t bear to be standing in that kind of place . Kaya, that was looking at the participants, stopped her sight at one place . Kaya, who was looking a long while at that face, said with her voice trembling .

“……Help me . ”

Jo Minjoon’s face became rock hard .

< Three dishes and one meal (4) > End

 

Translator’s note: Regular chapter! Sorry to dissapoint you guys, but Chloe is making it through . But what about Kaya? Keep readingThanks for reading and for your support!

Regulars being on: Tue, thurs, sat and sun

Translator : Subak
Proofreader : Maled